


Achilles Had His Heel

by trancer



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Protective Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-28
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-23 19:05:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6127027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trancer/pseuds/trancer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone told Kara she was an indestructible alien. Kara always thought Alex was the indestructible one. Until the day she sees Alex break.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Achilles Had His Heel

As much as Alex can't wait until she's released from the hospital, as much as it _shouldn't_ surprise her - Kara sitting by her bed, holding her hand - it still completely surprises Alex. Learning that Kara told Cat Grant 'My sister's in the hospital, I'm not coming back until she's released', well, that also surprises Alex.

Alex is supposed to be the stupidly rash one.

Which is why she's in the hospital.

With eyes half-lidded from the pain killers coursing through her system, she rolls her head slightly, watches. Watches as Kara rests Alex's hand atop her own and with her other, traces patterns with her fingertips across Alex's palm.

A thousand times, probably more, Alex stopped counting back when they were kids. Because it never ceases to amaze her, how _fascinated_ Kara is when she's holding Alex's hand. Here she sits, at Alex's bedside, her eyes glued to Alex's palm, watching her fingers glide over the skin. Alex can't help but notice how Kara's touch feels - with a cautious, yet tender and exploratory gentleness. That same touch Alex has felt a thousand times before, probably more.

"It's the first thing I learned how to do, you know. How to hold your hand," Kara softly smiles, lifting her eyes. "You never seemed to mind."

"I was too afraid to tell you to stop," Alex grins. Hand still clasped within Kara's, she rolls onto her side, facing Kara. "You always looked like you were figuring out a puzzle."

"Maybe, I was," she shrugs, turns her eyes back down, traces her fingertips across a line on Alex's palm. "I always have to concentrate so hard. Think so much. Think to keep from hurting.. breaking things. But, you were never afraid to hold my hand. You were never afraid to let me hold *your* hand. It made me unafraid to try."

Those early days, Kara broke pretty much everything - dishes, her toothbrush, chairs, door handles, walls, sinks, even the stairs. Every time, after the damage was done, she'd stare back with wide and wet eyes. Terrified of what she'd done, terrified of the consequences. A broken item, shipped off and returned to sender.

"I'd break something," Kara speaks like she'd read Alex's mind. "And you'd just laugh, grab my hand. The hand that had just crushed something. You'd grab it and say 'come on, we'll fix it later'." Fingertips tracing around the edge of Alex's index finger. "I'm sure you were squeezing with everything you had, but it felt so.. soft. We'd sit on the porch, or the couch, or the bus to school and your hand was always around mine. Until, one day, I dared to squeeze yours back." She lifts her head, eyes welling with tears. "I didn't break you. Everyone said I was indestructible. I thought you were the one who couldn't break."

Swallowing, Alex stammers for something to say, "Kara.."

"Remember when you got into a fight with Eric Schroeder?"

"Ugh.. how could I forget?" Alex groans, rolling her eyes. Kara was the new kid, an object of curiosity and, well, every school has one. Alex and Kara's school had several. Eric Schroeder, future linebacker for UCLA at age thirteen, was one of them. Kara was a stranger in a strange land, an alien hiding in plain site. The last thing she'd do was bring attention to herself. Which made her Eric's perfect target. The day Alex found out Eric was picking on her little sister, was the day the entire town learned not to mess with Kara Danvers (and Alex almost made the football team). Alex still has scars from that fight. "I was on restriction for a month!"

"I didn't understand why your parents were so mad. You were.. bleeding." She traces the scar along the outside of Alex's palm. Kara was the only one Alex would let touch her. So Kara cleaned the wounds on Alex's hands, the scar on her bloodied lip. "It's the day I realized you could break."

There are new scars now. New wounds. All shields have battle scars. It wasn't until she became Supergirl that Kara finally realized her shield is human. All those scars - the old, the new, the ones she never knew were there - they're from protecting Kara. Who leans down to press her lips to one of the new ones. She'd trade all her powers for the ability to heal her sister.

Another thing Alex can't fight, the skip in her heart, the clenching of her ribs. Jealous and resentful as a child. The adult with the growing part of her that believes this world doesn't deserve Kara. Or..

Maybe just Alex.

Kara's moist eyes are wet now, tears trailing down her cheeks as she lifts her head. "I know you'll never quit the DEO but, if I ask, will you stop going on missions?"

Wincing, Alex doesn't mean to pull her hand away, it's an instinct. Kara tightens her grasp, with a force Alex has never felt before. Not painful but full of intent, like she's terrified to let go.

"I thought you were dead, Alex. When he hit you.." Her eyes go blank, glassy, the memory on instant replay. Instantly, she snaps back into focus. Lifts from her chair, leans over Alex, releases one of the hands holding Alex's hand so she can place her palm to Alex's cheek. "You're all I have left."

It starts as a groan, which turns into a long, exaggerated sigh. As Alex turns her head, focuses her eyes on the ceiling. "Fuck my life."

Pinching her brows, Kara tilts her head. "Alex?"

"Fucking manipulative little shit," she growl-groans. "You used the puppy eyes on me. You _know_ I have no resistance to that!"

"Wait.. what?"

"Besides, Hank's not gonna let me back out into the field until after I've passed a gajillion and a half physicals. A third of which he's gonna make up on the fly. God!" Alex slides a hand to her forehead. "That's nothing compared to what's gonna happen when Mom finds out I've been injured on the job.. again."

Those blue eyes go wide, blood draining, an indestructible alien with the face of fear. "You haven't told Eliza?"

Alex peers through her fingers. "I thought you did?"

"Oh no." Kara slumps back in her chair, hand still holding Alex's, bordering on painfully tight. "She's gonna kill us both."

Alex finds the energy to chuckle, "And Hank."

"He's a shapeshifter. She'll have to find him first. Wait.." Kara lifts her eyes, all watery eyes and trembling grin. "You're really gonna stay in the office for awhile?"

"Achilles had his heel. You're mine. Yes, Kara.." Alex finds another chuckle, curls her lips into a grin, "I'll stay out of the field for awhile."

Kara flies out of her seat, face falling into the crook of Alex's neck as she slides her hands around Alex's shoulders. "Thankyou.Thankyou.Thankyou."

"Kara," Alex widens her grin, hand to Kara's shoulder, trying to gently pull her back. Except, Kara's already climbing onto the bed, molding her body next to Alex's. Just like when they were kids.. and teens.. and adults. Not an Achilles Heel but, Alex realizes, maybe her heart. Which was why she placed herself between an alien with murder in its eyes and her punch dazed and off balance sister. As far as Alex was concerned, he was just another Eric Schroeder.

And _no one_ hurts Alex's little sister.

"Hey," Alex nudges slightly. "Does this tv get Netflix?"

That smile. It's not just the puppy eyes that are Alex's greatest weakness. "No. But, I brought my laptop."

"Good. How far behind are we on 'Alias'?"

"I don't know." A zip, a blur and Kara is back on the bed, opening her laptop. "But, we have plenty of time. Don't we?"

Alex curls into the arm draping around her shoulder. "Of course, we do."

END


End file.
